Alvis 4.3 Tourer

Founded immediately after the Great War by TG John and GPH de Freville, Alvis quickly gained a reputation for making high quality cars with superb performance that appealed to the well-heeled sporting driver. In 1923 Captain GT Smith-Clarke joined from Daimler as chief engineer and, with chief draughtsman WM Dunn, became responsible for some of the best products in the company's history including the famous overhead-valve 12/50, one of the most successful vintage sports cars of all time. Alvis cars of this period were not only extremely elegant but they bristled with technical innovations like independent front suspension, the world's first all-synchromesh gearbox, servo-assisted brakes and front-wheel drive.

The fruits of this remarkable partnership culminated in a series of luxury sports tourers that were among the greatest achievements of the pre-war British motor industry. Chief among these was the 4.3-Litre of 1936, claimed to be the fastest un-supercharged saloon on the UK market and capable of a genuine 100mph plus. The engine was similar to the Speed 25, but with the bore increased to 92mm for 4,387cc and 137 bhp. Centralised chassis lubrication was retained, but additions included the Smiths Jackall built-in hydraulic jacking system and a Clayton Dewandré vacuum brake servo. Smooth and powerful, with independent front suspension and all-synchro gears, the 4.3 chassis attracted some of the finest examples of the coachbuilders art, though its high price meant that ownership was always restricted to a privileged few. Just 198 examples were made before war stopped production in 1940.

This 1937 4.3 litre Alvis, chassis number 13181, was built originally as an SA Holbrook saloon (body number 18549) and was one of the first batch of 4.3 Alvis's built. It was registered CDU 633 and dispatched on 20th January 1937 to Alvis distributors B Waterhouse & Sons of Bradford, the first owner being Alfred W Clayton of C&J Clayton Ltd, Box Tree Mills, Bradford. The two black and white photos show the car as it was in its original form.

In the mid-1960s the saloon body was modified by Olaf Lund of Birmingham, well known in Alvis and Jaguar circles. He cut the car down into a tourer and fitted a Jaguar XK engine, but the remainder of the bodywork is original. The engine conversion retains the Alvis engine mounting points and the original Alvis gearbox, so fitting an original 4.3 engine should not require any chassis modifications.

The Jaguar engine currently installed is a tuned 4.2 litre unit which has been enlarged to the capacity of 4,624cc as stated on the registration document. Tuning was carried out by Jaguar specialists Forward Engineering and is believed to have included a lightened flywheel plus steel crank and rods. Currently taxed and with an MOT until July 2008, the car is in regular use and is said to perform very well with an impressive turn of speed. It has recently had the kingpins and the diff rebuilt and new tyres fitted front and rear. The rear seat upholstery is original and very worn though the front seats have been well re-trimmed at some time in the past. Altogether a most interesting and useable car that is being offered at a fraction of the price of an unmodifed example.